The present invention relates to a negative film carrier used in a photographic printer, and more particularly to a negative film carrier which can apply marks on a negative film at which the negative film is cut to film strips including a predetermined or selected number of picture frames.
In large scale photofinishing laboratories, developed photographic films are cut into film strips including a predetermined or selected number of picture frames. The film strips are put in open-ended elongated film cover or holder envelopes for protection and storage. Such laboratories are equipped with an automatic apparatus for putting negative strips in film holder envelopes. One example of an automatic apparatus, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 49-130,915, includes a guide member for opening one end of an elongated envelope of the film holder, a film cutter for cutting the negative film into strips each including a predetermined or preselected number of picture frames and feed rollers for putting each negative strip in the open-ended film holder envelope.
To complete making prints from a negative film, cutting the negative film into negative strips and putting the negative strips in film holder envelopes, all in one stage, photographic printers have been developed with an automatic apparatus for putting the negative strips into the film holder envelopes. One example of such a photographic printer is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 55-27,100.
In the conventional apparatus described above for putting negative strips in film holder envelopes, notches formed in one side margin of a negative film should be counted to detect a predetermined number of picture frames. However, in so-called mini-laboratory printing systems, used in relatively small photofinishing laboratories negative films are not formed with notches upon printing. Therefore the conventional automatic apparatus for putting negative strips in film holder envelopes cannot be used in cooperation with such mini-laboratory printing systems.
Furthermore, since picture frames of a negative film not required to be printed are usually not provided with notches, a negative film having at least one picture frame without a notch cannot be measured to detect or count picture frames based on notches formed in one side margin of the negative film.